Wednesday, February 1, 2006

Coca Cola celebrates Arctic Winter Games with commemorative bottle & cans...
Collectors and memorabilia fans are delighted with the first ever commemorative Coca-Cola bottles and cans celebrating a Kenai Peninsula sporting event. The cans went on sale last week for the first time at the Holiday Station in Soldotna at E. Redoubt and the Sterling. “Before we had the bar code entered in the computer people were wanting case lots, we have them at a special reduced price for one week and we’re expecting them to fly off the shelves,” said Holiday store manager Alaina Inglis.

Peninsula Winter Games 1st Polar Bear jumper...
When the Soldotna Rotary Club started fishing for ice to start an ice carving competition during the Peninsula Winter Games some 6 years ago, someone came up with the idea to start a Polar Bear jump during the ice harvest. So each year the challenge has gone out for any brave soul willing to become the first jumper and begin a new tradition for annual ice fishing in Alaska event. Until last week when Rotarians had to return to Marathon Lake in Kenai to harvest more ice for the state championship ice carving competition, that challenge had gone unanswered.

“Arts of Alaska” a place for framing the Greatland in Kenai
Capturing the beauty of Alaska in art is a challenge that touches the talented as well as the untalented. Diane Harrison was born and raised in Alaska and spent hours drawing and painting the beauty outside her door as a small girl. She took on her first serious art challenge at the age of 16 when she was commissioned to illustrate the various wild flowers growing on the Kenai Peninsula for the Alaska Division of Parks. “What I love about nature is that everyone is equal in it, no matter what your background or status in life. The flowers do not get any brighter or sweeter-smelling when a rich person enters a meadow and they don’t dull down for a poor person; the mountain doesn’t become less steep when someone influential climbs to its summit or harder for someone whom nobody has ever heard. We are all allowed to enjoy God’s creation, where the treasures within are priceless and could never be duplicated by man,” says Harrison.

“Sterling El”...We have a problem!...
The same thinking skills and innovations that brought Apollo 13 safely back to planet earth were being learned last week by students at Sterling Elementary, a NASA designated Challenger Learning School. Sixth grade teacher Allan Miller, a finalist in the NASA Educator Astronaut program, teamed up with one of his fellow NASA finalists in Warsaw, Indiana, eighth grade teacher Dan Wray, to create the challenge.

Outdoors
I can still recall my Grandmother reading me those children’s books like “Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Three Little Pigs!” There she sat on that old white wooden farmhouse chair as she read me these same books over and over. I knew each time I heard these stories that when I got big I was going to kill these mean wolves and bears that were causing such a ruckus in the world.

Binkley has reader’s vote for governor
I was glad to see that John Binkley is back in Alaskan politics and running for Governor, now that his children are grown up and live in Alaska. I have known John since he was in high school. Even then, it was obvious that he is very intelligent and hard working. Through the years I have followed his career as he became a successful businessman in the visitor industry, started a shipping business on the Kuskokwim River, and is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Alaska Railroad. In the meantime, he was elected to the State Senate and served on the Finance Committee.

Tsalteshi trails is welcome mat for visitors
Nice coverage and story on the SoHi Invite (Clarion, Jan. 29). I always enjoy going to the Peninsula for ski meets. The Tsalteshi trails are just great and the people in the community are always so friendly!

Health care issue goes beyond same-sex benefits
I’m writing in reference to the article submitted by Paul Morrison in Monday’s (Jan. 30) Clarion. Although I agree our societies’ morals have degraded to unprecedented levels, I believe this is not truly the issue.

Generosity helped spread holiday kindness
On behalf of the Redoubt Elementary School PTA, we would like to thank the following business, organizations and individuals for their generous contributions to our Holiday Kindness program.

Palin not an entrenched politician
As the race for Governor begins to heat up, I’d like to add my support for Sarah Palin for Governor. I have known Sarah for quite a few years and have come to admire her work ethic, her determination to do what’s right in the face of adversity and her drive to make Alaska better for everyone. I personally like the fact that she is not an entrenched politician with an agenda. Rather, Sarah’s only agenda is doing what’s right for Alaska.

Sales tax cap designed to promote efficiency
In his Jan. 6 letter to the editor, Joe Ross felt that “a majority of the voters go to the polls uninformed.” Unfortunately by his comments, Mr. Ross has proved that he should count himself among the uniformed.

Augustine plume has yet to blanket any communities
Steam clouds have continuously bellowed from Augustine since Saturday, but surprisingly little ash has fallen and only two observations have detected ash on the peninsula, according to geologists monitoring the volcano.

Juneau lobby trip may help out borough
Kenai Peninsula Borough officials back from a Juneau trip are more confident the 2007 state budget will include provisions meant to aid struggling local governments.

Education beyond the law: Constitution provides framework, but more work is needed:::Voices Of The State
“The legislature shall by general law establish and maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the state, and may provide for other public educational institutions. Schools and institutions so established shall be free from sectarian control. No money shall be paid from public funds for the direct benefit of any religions or other private educational institution.” Article VII Section I Alaska Constitution